1. Field of The Invention
This invention pertains to the art of closures for reclosable plastic bags having extruded zippers, and more particularly to a sealed reclosable bag in which goods may be sold to consumers in retail outlets. The bags in question are provided with tear containing strips which cooperate in sealing the packaging film to the zipper tape film outwardly from the zipper profiles, and which prevent a tear formed across the top of the package when the bag is first opened from running to the profiles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reclosable bags containing and displaying goods, particularly foodstuffs, for sale in retail outlets are known in the art. Typically, bags of this type must be provided with means which would reveal an earlier opening, deliberate or accidental, of the bag to a prospective purchaser. Peel seals outward of the zipper profiles of a reclosable plastic bag, are commonly used for this purpose. By its nature, a peal seal, once broken, cannot be resealed. Upon inspection, then, a prospective purchaser may readily learn whether a bag of this type has been previously opened.
Reclosable plastic bags may also be provided with tear beads. When grasped and torn away, a tear bead will permit access to the contents of the bag by allowing its interlocked zipper profiles to be separated from outside the bag. Of course, once the tear bead has been torn away, it is quite clear that the reclosable plastic bag may have been opened. To the prospective purchaser, this is warning enough to search for another bag containing the desired commodity and having its tear bead intact.
The present invention concerns reclosable plastic bags of this latter type. A problem encountered with such bags has been that, in removing the top of the package by ripping at the tear bead, the run sometimes meanders down the package (instead of straight across). This could render the package useless since the zipper could no longer close the bag.
The present invention represents a long-sought solution to this problem in prior-art reclosable plastic bags.